Cruising the Rivers of West Africa (Ex Dakar)

Product Description

Highlights

Visit the Saloum Delta, a UNESCO liste Biosphere reserve and important birding area. Visit Kunta Kinteh, the island named after the character in Roots and a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site. Observe chimpanzees from a motor pirogue on Baboon Island. Look out for dolphins in the Gambia River estuary

Overview

See a different side of West Africa on this spectacular adventure cruise from Senegal down into The Gambia. Explore the wild realm of the Saloum Delta, where marine turtles, crocodiles and manatees lurk. Sail to Banjul and to former St James Island to uncover the story of Kunta Kinteh. Head on up to Tendaba village, where wildlife-filled parks and wetlands are just a safari-truck or motor-pirogue ride away. Continue to Kuntaur for the chance to get up close to chimpanzees, experience lively local culture and music, visit the Wassu Stone Circles and observe local fishing-village life. Drop anchor in Banjul for a kora performance, before returning to Dakar via the dolphin-filled Gambia estuary and the Atlantic Ocean. Along the way, discover the unique traditions and lively rhythms that make West Africa such a fascinating cultural tapestry, with optional land excursions from your plush base, the Harmony G.

Breakfast Included: 7 Lunches Included: 6 Dinner Included: 7

Trip Dates

Start Date

End Date

Price

Room Type

11-JAN-2020

18-JAN-2020

AU$3080

cATCTWIN

11-JAN-2020

18-JAN-2020

AU$4400

cATCSINGLE

11-JAN-2020

18-JAN-2020

AU$3655

cATBTWIN

11-JAN-2020

18-JAN-2020

AU$5265

cATBSINGLE

11-JAN-2020

18-JAN-2020

AU$4400

cATATWIN

11-JAN-2020

18-JAN-2020

AU$6375

cATASINGLE

11-JAN-2020

18-JAN-2020

AU$5220

cATPTWIN

11-JAN-2020

18-JAN-2020

AU$7610

cATPSINGLE

18-JAN-2020

25-JAN-2020

AU$3080

cATCTWIN

18-JAN-2020

25-JAN-2020

AU$4400

cATCSINGLE

18-JAN-2020

25-JAN-2020

AU$3655

cATBTWIN

18-JAN-2020

25-JAN-2020

AU$5265

cATBSINGLE

18-JAN-2020

25-JAN-2020

AU$4400

cATATWIN

18-JAN-2020

25-JAN-2020

AU$6375

cATASINGLE

18-JAN-2020

25-JAN-2020

AU$5220

cATPTWIN

18-JAN-2020

25-JAN-2020

AU$7610

cATPSINGLE

25-JAN-2020

01-FEB-2020

AU$3080

cATCTWIN

25-JAN-2020

01-FEB-2020

AU$4400

cATCSINGLE

25-JAN-2020

01-FEB-2020

AU$3655

cATBTWIN

25-JAN-2020

01-FEB-2020

AU$5265

cATBSINGLE

25-JAN-2020

01-FEB-2020

AU$4400

cATATWIN

25-JAN-2020

01-FEB-2020

AU$6375

cATASINGLE

25-JAN-2020

01-FEB-2020

AU$5220

cATPTWIN

25-JAN-2020

01-FEB-2020

AU$7610

cATPSINGLE

01-FEB-2020

08-FEB-2020

AU$3080

cATCTWIN

01-FEB-2020

08-FEB-2020

AU$4400

cATCSINGLE

01-FEB-2020

08-FEB-2020

AU$3655

cATBTWIN

01-FEB-2020

08-FEB-2020

AU$5265

cATBSINGLE

01-FEB-2020

08-FEB-2020

AU$4400

cATATWIN

01-FEB-2020

08-FEB-2020

AU$6375

cATASINGLE

01-FEB-2020

08-FEB-2020

AU$5220

cATPTWIN

01-FEB-2020

08-FEB-2020

AU$7610

cATPSINGLE

08-FEB-2020

15-FEB-2020

AU$3080

cATCTWIN

08-FEB-2020

15-FEB-2020

AU$4400

cATCSINGLE

08-FEB-2020

15-FEB-2020

AU$3655

cATBTWIN

08-FEB-2020

15-FEB-2020

AU$5265

cATBSINGLE

08-FEB-2020

15-FEB-2020

AU$4400

cATATWIN

08-FEB-2020

15-FEB-2020

AU$6375

cATASINGLE

08-FEB-2020

15-FEB-2020

AU$5220

cATPTWIN

08-FEB-2020

15-FEB-2020

AU$7610

cATPSINGLE

15-FEB-2020

22-FEB-2020

AU$3080

cATCTWIN

15-FEB-2020

22-FEB-2020

AU$4400

cATCSINGLE

15-FEB-2020

22-FEB-2020

AU$3655

cATBTWIN

15-FEB-2020

22-FEB-2020

AU$5265

cATBSINGLE

15-FEB-2020

22-FEB-2020

AU$4400

cATATWIN

15-FEB-2020

22-FEB-2020

AU$6375

cATASINGLE

15-FEB-2020

22-FEB-2020

AU$5220

cATPTWIN

15-FEB-2020

22-FEB-2020

AU$7610

cATPSINGLE

22-FEB-2020

29-FEB-2020

AU$3080

cATCTWIN

22-FEB-2020

29-FEB-2020

AU$4400

cATCSINGLE

22-FEB-2020

29-FEB-2020

AU$3655

cATBTWIN

22-FEB-2020

29-FEB-2020

AU$5265

cATBSINGLE

22-FEB-2020

29-FEB-2020

AU$4400

cATATWIN

22-FEB-2020

29-FEB-2020

AU$6375

cATASINGLE

22-FEB-2020

29-FEB-2020

AU$5220

cATPTWIN

22-FEB-2020

29-FEB-2020

AU$7610

cATPSINGLE

Board in Dakar, Senegal

Embarkation will take place between 2pm and 6pm this afternoon. Enjoy a welcome drink and meet your fellow passengers before dinner on board. After dinner, we set sail southward towards the Saloum River Delta. Overnight at sea.

Saloum Delta and Banjul

This morning we reach the Sine – Saloum Delta in Senegal, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and an Important Birding Area as designated by Birdlife International. This area is a natural habitat for many bird species along with marine turtles and dolphins, West African manatees and crocodiles. Our optional excursion starts at the fishing village of Djiffere where you travel on to the village of Joal Fadiouth, set on an island of clam shells that also are used in local buildings and crafts. In the afternoon, we leave Senegal and the Saloum Delta and sail south to Gambia to reach Banjul, the capital of Gambia and gateway to the 700-mile Gambia River. Stay overnight in Banjul.

Banjul and Tendaba

The morning in Banjul there is an optional half day excursion to Bakau (with its crocodile 'katchikaly' and Botanic Garden) and a short Banjul Tour. After lunch, leave Banjul and sail upstream to Tendaba. Stay overnight at the dock in Tendaba.

Tendaba

From the ship we take motor pirogues in order to reach Tendaba, located on the South Bank in the Lower River Division, our starting point of our morning optional excursion. It is a small fishing village of mainly Muslim faith with approximately 600 inhabitants. From there we will walk through to Batelling, a small village at the entrance to Kiang West National Park. The area boasts of over 250 species of birds; many of which are difficult to observe anywhere else. Other residents include Guinea baboons, bushbuck, warthogs, Senegal bushbaby and marsh mongoose. After a refreshing stop in Batelling, we will board an open safari truck which brings us back to Tendaba. On the way we pass again local villages where you get an impression of local life in The Gambia. In the afternoon, we are picked-up from the ship by motor pirogues for another optional excursion to the Bao Bolong Wetland Reserve. This reserve, lying across from Kiang West National Park features six major bolongs (creeks) that provide great birding and boating opportunities. Numerous rare and migratory birds also reside here including the Pel’s fishing owl, African fin foot and brown-necked parrot. Spend the night docked in Tendaba.

Kuntaur

Early morning we leave Tendaba and sail upstream on the Gambia River to reach Kuntaur. We arrive early afternoon in the bustling Gambian port town, the last inland stop along the river that is navigable for ocean-going ships. Later in the afternoon we board a large motor pirogue for a 3 hour optional excursion on The Gambia River. First we head to the southernmost tip of Baboon Island, one of the five islands of The Gambia National Park. There a local national park ranger will join us onboard to talk about the park and its fauna & flora. Then we turn, downstream to motor slowly back to Kuntaur following closely the shores of Baboon Island. This island is home of the Chimpanzee Rehabilitation Project. If we are lucky, we can closely observe the chimps from the water with minimal intrusion. There is also the possibility of seeing hippos, crocodiles, Red Colobus, Green Vervet monkeys and also The Gambia’s famous birdlife. We return to Kuntaur where we are met by the “Kankurang” and a local dance group on the pier. Believed to have spiritual powers the “Kankurang” dispenses justice and wards off evil spirits. Overnight docked in Kuntaur.

Kuntaur and Kaur

This morning, our optional excursion by bus takes us to the ferry station of Janjanbureh. There we board the local ferry for a short cruise over The Gambia River to Janjanbureh. We continue our excursion with a visit of one of the oldest towns of The Gambia, formerly called Georgetown. During the walk you get an impression of this laidback town and see the residence of the governor, the market and the Methodist church with its school. Afterwards we take the ferry back and re board the bus to reach Lamin Koto. Through the generosity of Variety Cruises and of many of its clients, a new school building is being built. Later in the morning we stop at the mysterious stone circles in Wassu, a megalithic site believed to be a burial ground thousands of years ago. You will visit the little museum of this archaeological site, a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site. In the afternoon, after lunch, we sail downstream to Kaur a small fishing village on the banks of the Gambia. You will have the opportunity to walk around this small community and see how Gambians live today. Enjoy a captain's farewell dinner and stay overnight in Kaur.

Banjul

This mornning we anchor at St. James Island int he middle of the Gambia River. The first settlers on the island arrived in 1651 and under the British rule it became an important slave trading post in The Gambia. In 1976 James Island became famous due to the author Alex Haley and its bestseller book 'Roots' and the story of a slave, called Kunta Kinteh. The island was recently renamed Kunta Kinteh Island and is now a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site. We will have the option of taking a walking tour. After disembarking by local tenders your local guide will tell you more about the history of James Island and afterwards you will have some time to explore this island by yourself. After lunch, we leave "Kunta Kinteh" to reach Banjul around 4pm. After formalities, later in the evening, we will sail out of the Gambia estuary into the Atlantic Ocean northwards to Dakar. Tonight is Gambian Night with Kora instrument Concert. Overnight at sea to Dakar.